The training camp portion of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' season will officially come to a close after Friday’s preseason game versus Winnipeg.
With the Riders kicking off the regular season Thursday, June5 the Green and White will rest some of their projected starters against the Blue Bombers and give Jake Maier the start at quarterback.
“It's something you never take for granted,” Maier said following the team’s walkthrough.
“I've been on both sides of it, I've been a backup, I've been a starter. You never go unappreciative of having an organization say: ‘Hey, we want you to start at quarterback in a game.’ No matter what the magnitude is, I'm super grateful.”
Maier is excited for the opportunity to have Rider Nation on his side when he takes the field in Regina after spending the four previous seasons in Calgary.
“Truth be told, I've played a lot of games in this building on silent cadence and it's going to be nice not to do that. Being able to play in front of so many people that are cheering for you is going to be an adrenaline rush for sure.”
Head Coach Corey Mace knows Friday’s game will be a test for the talent on his roster to prove they belong, but it’s also an opportunity for them to experience game day at Mosaic Stadium.
“I'm super excited for these guys to get that feeling of walking down the tunnel and waiting for the crowd to bring them out. It's a special moment for everybody that gets to do that.”
Mace, however, is keenly aware of the roster releases scheduled for Saturday.
“It’s the unfortunate part of the business and you hate to see it. Many of us, as coaches and personnel have been in those shoes. We want to make these guys understand how much we appreciate the effort. It’s unfortunate, yet we all know what it is and we chose this game.”
Mace’s advice to players that may be on the bubble is not to give up.
“There is an opportunity, we see it all the time, it might not be us, but it could be somebody else. So put your best foot forward when you have your opportunity.”
Maier will be tasked with putting the offence’s best foot forward against Winnipeg. Offensive coordinator Marc Mueller has said that he would like to see more rhythm from his offence, which Maier knows can be difficult with players rotating in and out.
“It's not easy, especially in the preseason. You know you're not going to click as perfectly as you want to and personnel might have something to do with it. But we always try to emphasize being good on the first couple of plays of a drive. I would think for us, especially going into tomorrow, we know the group that we're walking into that game with and we have a pretty good plan for how we want to approach it.”
Maier added, “There’s no excuses for us. We're at home. We should feel really good about our plan. Staying in a rhythm and feeling like: ‘Hey, if we can get a first down, then that'll lead to more and more and more.’”
The kick-off is Friday at 7 p.m. as the CFL’s most comprehensive game day coverage begins on the 620 CKRM Co-operators Rider Broadcast Network with the Countdown to Kickoff at 4 p.m.
